Denmark to extradite Purulia arms drop suspect

The prime accused in the infamous Purulia arms-dropping case, Kim Davy, is likely to be extradited from Denmark by July-end and will serve his prison term in India if proven guilty. Government sources said Denmark has informed authorities here that the 47-year-old Davy, alias Niels Holck, will be extradited within next two to three months following completion of the legal process and after India replies to certain queries of the Nordic country.

Copenhagen has also conveyed to New Delhi that they would have no objection to Davy serving his prison term in India if convicted in a court of law here, sources said. Denmark is believed to have asked India on the nature of punishment likely to be awarded to its national if he is convicted in the case.

Davy was arrested in Copenhagen on Saturday. He has admitted to taking part in dropping 4.5 tonnes of weapons, which include assault rifles, rocket launchers and missiles, from a cargo plane onto a field in Purulia in 1995. The CBI, which was probing the sensational case, had secured an Interpol Red Corner Notice against Davy in 2002.

India had sent a huge dossier to Denmark the same year. While a Briton and a five-man Latvian aircrew were arrested by Indian authorities earlier, Davy managed to escape.

The Danish Justice Ministry had said on Friday the decision to extradite Davy was made after "a thorough reading" of India's extradition request. The ministry said Davy can appeal the decision in a Danish court. A prosecutor in Denmark said police had long known that Davy was in Denmark but negotiations over his possible extradition had dragged on for years.

Davy wrote an autobiography two years ago titled: They Call Me Terrorist in which he recounts delivering the arms during a flight that left from Bulgaria. Thailand was the aircraft's final destination.